I'm thinking of doing a DIY salmon fishing trip to Soldotna, AK in the next year or so. Wondering if anyone has done the same or that lives here there than has any word of wisdom to offer. Places to fish, stay, equipment, gear, time of year -- anything would be helpful. Thanks.

Have fished soldotna with a buddy and his family 10 years back. His family had a cabin there.

Awesome fishing.

Way too many people.

Too crowded but the fishing was great.

You will need a boat for kings.

Mike

It has been two or three years since I fished there ... I believe (and I hope that I am wrong) that the king fishing is now terrible ...

We also got skunked on the reds but there we were between runs ..

My sister in law lives in Soldotna ... although away now for a couple of years on a mission ..

I was just there hunting and fishing in early June. I stayed in a motel in Kenai when I wasn't in the hunting camp. I flew out to hunt, but drove to the Kasilof River and the Homer Spit to fish. The Kings weren't running in the Kenai or Russian River yet and just starting to run in the Kasilof. IMHO fighting the crowds from the bank would be an exercise in frustration, but it can be done. I would take a medium weight rod & reel, waders, a large dip net, 12-20# line and buy my lures after I was there.

There are campgrounds and motels but you will need reservations when the Kings are running. IMHO it would be much better to spend nan extra $175.00 a day, hire a guide w/ a boat and have an enjoyable, successful trip.

Fishing for halibut out of Homer is a hoot also. Party boat about $165.00/day.

I fished the Silver run in the Little Su in August staying in Wasilla. Very successful, a real hoot.

July or August probably best, but you will need reservations for everything. Very crowded in July or August. Wall to wall people, crowded highways jammed with slow campers, shoulder to shoulder combat fishing.

There's no reason to fight the crowds and poor fishing on the Kenai. Dillingham and Bristol Bay offer much more and better.